Scraper



S CRAPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR R. G .LeZbunacau BY M V'iUZl-L I ATTORNEYS g- 1946. 6. LE TOURNEAU Filed June 18, 1945 .R. G. LE TOURNEAU SCRAPER Filed June 18, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MN NN R, G. LTaurneau.

:m'onusys g 20, 4 R. 6. LE "TOURNEAU 06,

SCRAPER 1945 4 Sheets-Shet 3 INVE NTOR R. G ZleTourneau Filed June 418,

20, 1945- R. G. LE TOUI QNE AU 2,406,300

SCRAPER Filed June 18, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 2?. G LeTouz-neaw M" 11ml;

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug 20,1946

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCRAPER Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, 111., assignor to R. G. Le

poration of California Application June 18, 1945, Serial No. 600,154

said independent powered movement of the bowlassembly,

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled carry type scraper which comprises, with a tractor coupled in unitary draft relation to a trailing main frame, a carriage mounted on and movable lengthwise of the main frame; a wheel supported bowl assembly fixed beneath and movable with the carriage; power means operative to move the carriage along the main frame; and a front apron suspended from the main frame and adapted to cooperate with the bowl assembly at the front.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation of the implement in carrying position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the implement in diggingand loading position.

Figure 3 is a similar view but shows the implement in discharging position," v

Figure 4 is a plan view of the implement.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the implement comprises a tractor, indicated in part at l,

in Fig, 1, and which tractor is preferably of the two-wheel Tournapull type, supported by a pair of transversely spaced ground engaging driving wheels 2. Adjacent it rear end the tractor l is fitted with a combination draft coupling and power steering unit, indicated generally at 3, which is connected, as at 4, centrally with the forward end of a trailing mainframe 5.

The main frame 5 is of open type, elongated 6 Claims. (Cl. 37-126) Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., a corlengthwise of the direction of travel, and includes transversely spaced, substantially horizontal side beams S. The side beams 6 are inwardly facing channels, and a substantially rectangular carriage 1 is supported from the side beams 6 for movement lengthwise of the main frame, by means of rollers 8 which engage and ride in the channels of said side beams 6, Side thrust rollers 9 maintain proper alinement of the carriage 'l and prevent binding thereof in the channeled side beams. I

The main frame 5 is of substantially greater length than the carriage 1, whereby the latter is capable of a relatively long travel within said main frame.

A forwardly opening earth receiving-bowl I0 is disposed beneath the carriage 1-, and at it rear end said bowl is fitted with a rearwardly'projecting frame assembl II which carries an axle l2, on opposite ends of which are mounted the rear ground engaging, transversely spaced wheels, l3

of the implement. The frame assembly H includes an upstanding portion 54 pivotally connected at its upper end to the. carriage I at the rear for swinging movement aboutthe axis of the rear rollers 8.

Adjacent its forward end and on opposite sides the bowl I0 is suspended from the corresponding end of the carriage 'l by lift cables 15 which are reeved between sheave blocks IE on the carriage and sheave blocks H on the outsides of the bowl. From the sheaves IS the pull leads l8 of. the cables l5 extend rearwardly, pass about directionohanging sheaves I9, and thence extend laterally inwardly to oppositely wound connection with the cable drum 2!! of an electrically actuated reversible power winch, indicated generally at 2|,

mounted on the carriage 1 adjacent its forward end and substantially centrally of its sides. The electric power winch 2| is actuated, as are the other hereinafter described electric power winches of the implement, by means of an operatorcontrolled circuit. The electric power winch :21, together with the other similar winches included in the implement, are not onlyreversible but are ,nor'mally brakedagainst rotation of'the drumie.

. The structural details of winches form no part of the present invention' the electric power 1 and any suitable type may be employed, f

The unit comprising the carriage l and the wheel mounted bowl assembly pivotally connected thereto, as above described, are arranged to be power actuated in a forward direction and lengthwise of the frame 5 by means of the followingmechanismz V from the main 7 reve the main frame 5 adjacent its forward end and 3 A pair of reversible electric power winches, in-

dicated at 22, are mounted on th main frame 5 at the front and include cable drums 23 each disposed on a transverse axis and substantially galined with the corresponding side beam 6.

Cablesft lead from the drums 23 rearwardly about upstanding sheaves on the carriage at the front and I ing about the sheaves 25 the cables adjacent the corners. After pass- Z 'l extend forwardly to an anchor on the frame. While the above cable system is shown for the clarity as including only two lines,

if greater power is desired. When the carriage 1'! is adjacent the rear end of the main frame 5 the electric power units 22 can be actuated to cause forceful forward movement of said car'- riage, together with the bowl Hi, relativeto said zmain frame.

Ahead of the bowl to adjacent the forward ie nd ofl'but below the main frame 5, the implement includes a front apron 2E adapted'to cooperate in closing relation with the forward end ,of the bowl iii when the latter is in an advanced position, as shown in Fig. 1;" themount for the apron 26 comprising the following:

A pair of heavy-duty transversely spaced supporting arms 2? are fired in connection with the apron 26 at opposite ends, and extend rearwardly therefrom alongside the bowl id. Adjacent the rear end of the bowl, whenadvanced. and to the outsides thereof the supporting arms 2? are pivotedya-t their rear ends, as at 2%, to the lower end of rigid bracketsZQ which are fixed in connection with and decendfrom the side beams t; of the main frame the:

bowl

closed position of the apron 2% relative to the bowl is being nreventedeb'y stop blocks as so.

cured to thesides of the bowl'a nd onto which stop blocks the sheaves i l are secured.-

At its forward edge the bottom of the bowl is:

is fitted with a cutting ordigging blade-ii, while at its lower and rear edge the apron 25 is fitted with a complementary hladefilh The apron 2E vertically adjustably suspended secured to apron at the front and adjacent its lower and thence extendin upwardly in guided'relation abouts, cab-1e 3 2 of a electric power winch mounted, on

substantially centrally of the sides thereof. V iThe bowl lEl'is provided with a forwardly movable end gate 36 normally disposed in the rear end of. the bowl and forming the back wall thereof. However, this end gate is mounted for powered forward movement in the bowl and to discharge a load therefrom, generally as follows:

A frame structure 31 extends rearwardly from the end'gate 36 and includes a cluster of guide frame: by means of acable 33 purpose of a multiple line block and tackle system may be employed may selectively brake the tractor wheels 2, or the rear wheels i3.

Operation In operation of the above described scraper it may be'loaded independently of wheel traction, as follows:

i The apron 2 5 is partially raised by the cable 33 and the bowl flowered by the cables !5 until the blade 3! is in ground engagement. Thereafter the tractor l is driven. forwardly to a certain extent, w hichcauses the carriage '5, together with the bowl Id, to move rearwardly relatively to the main frame winches 22 are actuated in a direction to pull in the cablesi il This causes the carriage l to forcefully advance, carrying the bowl i9 with it. As the bowl advances the lads 3i digsinto the earth andthe dug earth flows into said bowl; the bowl continuing such advance until it comes into closingrelationship with the lowered apron 2 5. Thereafter both, the bowl and apron are raised to loadcarrying position, as shown in Fig. l, that the load may be transported to the point of discharge. 'lt7l'1en the implement reaches Intermediate their ends the supporting arms 2' pass between the lift' cables 15 and the adjacent sides of lowering movement of said below fully rollers 33 cooperating with a horizontal guide beam 39' in'a frame assembly ii. Theend gate 36, together with its franie'structurciil, is power advanced and retracted from a reversibl electric 1 power Winchell mounted'in the frame assembly i l. and including an end gate advancing cable systern 4i and an end gate retracting cable system t2, bo-th of which systems connect in operative relation with the cable drumtiofthe winch 4d.

The wheels 2 of the tractor, as well as the rear wheels l3 of the implement, include brakes (not shown), by means of which the operator ered movement of the carriage through the medium of the drive wheels the blade 5i has filled the bowl if to the extent 5ostopped; the brakes on wheels 2 are set;

such point the apron 25 is opened and the end gate is advanced, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purposeof dischargingthe load. from the bowl.

li his discharge maybe accomplished with the scraper moving in load. r r if his desired to load the scraper partly by wheel traction and partly by independent poworder to properly spreadithe e isas follows: the apron 215 is an elevated position, and the bowl iii retracted and lowered to digngp'osition, the implement is driven forward of the tractive capacity of said wheels .2. Thereafter the forward movement of the irnpiement is 25 lowered; and the carriage l and bowl to advanced the remaining distance to said apron" by.

the independent power means comprising the electric power winches 22 and cables-72 i, which forcefully 'advance'the carriage in the manner previously described. When the load. has beenacouiredit is transported and discharged in the same manner previously described. a

It will, also beevident that with the bowl to in an advanced position, the apron and said bowl 1 y also housed in thesame manner as a conven ional carry typescraper which loads solely by wheel traction. e 7.

from the foregoing description it will be readseen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the inven 1 set forth in the appended claims.

1 lethis specification describes in detail the pre nt'and preferred construction of the device, st ih practice such deviations from such detail d to as do not form a departure of the invention, as defined'by may he rose from the sp t said claims; J

l and bowl it, the I 1 until the apron Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

l. A self-propelled scraper comprising, in unitary relation, a tractor, an elongated mainframe disposed above the ground coupled to the tractor in draft relation, an earth digging and carrying bowl unit extending below. the -main frame, means mounting the bowl unit in connection with the main frame for relative lengthwise movement, power means between the frame and bowl unit operative to effect such movement of the latter, and a front apron mounted in connection with the frame and disposed in cooperative relation ahead of the bowl unit, the bowl unit being open at the forward end and said end being closed by the apron when the bowl unit is moved lengthwise into engagement therewith; said front apron including transversely, spaced side arms projecting rearwardly on opposite sides of the bowl, rigid depending brackets on the main frame to which said side arms are pivotally attached at the rear, and vertically adjustable means suspending the apron from said main frame.

2. A scraper as in claim 1 in which the bowl unit is pivoted in connection with said mounting means for verticaladjustment, and liftcables depending from said mounting means for attachment with the bowl on opposite sides, the side arms of the apron extending between the liftcables and adjacent sides of the bowl, and stop members on said sides of the bowl disposed to limit relative lowering of the side arms below a predetermined point.

3. A self-propelled scraper comprising, in unitary relation, a tractor, an elongated main frame disposedabove the ground and coupled to the tractor in draft relation, a carriage mounted on the main-frame for longitudinal sliding movement, an earth digging and carrying bowl unit extending below the carriage, aframe structure on the bowl unit secured to the carriage whereby the bowl unit moves with said carriage, ground engaging wheels on the bowl unit, and power means connected between the main frame and carriage to effect such movement thereof; said frame structure being pivotally attached to the carriage whereby the bowl unit is vertically swingable, and vertically adjustable suspension means extending between the carriage and bowl unit.

4. A self-propelled scraper oomprising in unitary relation, a tractor, an elongated main frame disposed above the ground and coupled to the I tractor in draft relation, a carriage mounted on the main frame for longitudinal sliding movedisposed above the ground and coupled to the tractor in draft relation, a carriage mounted on the main. frame for longitudinal sliding move ment. an earth digging and carrying bowl unit extending below the carriage, means mounting the bowl unit for lengthwise movement with the carrage, power means connected between themain frame and carriage operative to effect such sliding movement of the latter, a vertically adjustable front apron suspended from the main frame in cooperative relation ahead of said lengthwise movable bowl unit, a forwardlymovable end gate in the bowl unit, and end gate actuating means mounted for movement with the bowl unit.

6. A scraper comprising an elongated frame disposed above and for movement along the ground, a wheel-supported earth digging and carrying bowl unit extending below the frame, means mounting the bowl unit in connection with the frame for relative lengthwise movement, pow- 91' means between the frame and bowl unit operative to effect such movement of the latter, and a front apron mounted in connection with the frame and disposed in cooperative relation ahead of the bowl unit; the bowl unit being open at the forward end and said end being closed by the apron when the bowl unit is moved lengthwise into engagement therewith; the bowl unit and front apron being secured in connection with said mounting means and frame, respectively, for independent and power actuated vertical adjustment.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU. 

